Glider



May 3, 1938. E. E. woLLER ET AL 2,116,334

GLIDER Filed July 5, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet I24 mmm l? @mh/@W4 @a May 3, 1938.

E. E. woLLER ET Au, 2,116,334

GLIDER Filed July 5, 1954 4 SheetS--Sheet 5 I Mmmm un "mill er l 5 May 3, 1938. E. E. woLlfER ETlAL f 2,116,334

@LIDER Ffiled July 5, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l/K i HIHHHWW?? S26/CIT: TIUlli" Patented May 3, 1938 oNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE GLIDR I l Edward E. Woller, Don Carlos Travis and Matthew F. Bayer, Kenosha, Wis., assignors to Simmons Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application July 5, 1934, Serial No. 733,748

9 Claims.

"collapsed and set up to facilitate shipment and storage when not in use; the provision of such a structure which may be assembled or disassembled without the use of tools; the provision of a glider having swinging seat and back rest sections which are effectively held against endwise swaying by an exceptionally simple device which will not noticeably restrict the desired swinging movement; the provision of an improved and simplified seat and back rest arrangement which may be adjusted from normal angular relation to coplanar bed position; the provision of means for effectively locking the seat and back rest sections against swinging movement when in bed position; the provision of automatically actuated leg means for supporting the back rest section when in bed position; and in general, it is the object of this invention to provide an improved glider of the type referred to.

Gther objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specication and accompanying drawings (4 sheets) in which there is illustrated a glider embodying a selected form of the invention.

in the drawings- Fig. '1 is an end elevation;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the end portion of the glider illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on the line 4-'4 01' Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the main or supportingframe of the glider when in vfolded or collapsed condition for shipping or storage pur poses; I

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the seat and back rest sections when in folded or collapsed condition for shipping or storage purposes;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line I-l of Figs. 3 and Ll., the back rest section being shown turned down to form a bed; f

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. '7; v

Fig. 9 is a plan of an end portion of the structur-e when in bed position; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective illustrating a detail of construction of the spring fabric of the seat and back rest sections.

Referring now to` the drawings, the improved glider embodies a pair of end members IIJ `and Il which are connected together by means of a tie bar or membervIZ. The end members Ill and I I are of substantially like construction and each embodies a base or foot member I3 of angle iron construction, upwardly extending angle iron posts I4 and I5 disposed in spaced relation, and

a top member I6 which extends transversely of the posts I4 and I5 and is also formed of angle iron. 'I'he end member parts I3 to I6 vinclusive are suitably secured together in relatively xed relation by riveting or otherwise and braces such as indicated at I1 may be provided for strengthening the structure.

The end members I0 and II are each provided with a bracket I8 welded or riveted thereto in xed relation and each bracket I8 is pivoted to the adjacent end of the tie bar I2 by means of a rivet or the like indicated at I9. It will be seen that the end members I0 and II are thus pivotally or foldably connected to the tie member I2 so that they may be folded from normal or operative upright position, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, to the collapsed position illustrated in Fig. 5.

For supporting the end members in their upright position, there are provided two, more or less Y-shaped, braces designated 20, 20. Each Y-brace includes forked arms 2I and 22 which have their free ends pivoted respectively to the upright posts I4 and I5 of the respective end members. The end of the other arm 23 of the Y- brace `is provided with a disengageable pin and slot connection with the tie bar I2. The pin and slot connection referred to includes, in this instance, a pin 24 secured to the tie bar I2 and an inverted keyhole opening 25 in the end of the` said arm 23. The pin 24 is provided with a head of larger diameter than the shank of. the pin, the head of the pin being of such size that it will t through the enlarged part of the keyhole opening `25 but not through the smaller portion. Thus the braces 20 `may be engaged with the tie bar I2 by a slight lateral movement of the brace relative to the tie bar so a-s to cause the head of the pin 24 to extend through the enlarged part of theV opening 25 and a subsequent swinging movement of the brace about its pivotal connections with the posts I4 and I5 of the end member. This engagement of the braces and tie bar is of course accomplished by reverse movement of the parts. It may be observed that the various part-s are `suliiciently flexible to permit the necessary amount of lateral movement to engage or disengage the braces from the pins 24.-

The seat'and back rest sections 26 and 21 each include iron border frames which are pivoted,

or hinged together through the agency of brackets 28 and 29 respectively secured to the seat and back rest sections and pivoted together as indicated at 30. Such hinged connections are provided at each end of the seat and back rest sections.

Front and rear legs 3| and 32 respectively depend from the border frame of thejseat section in fixed relation thereto and these legs are connected by means of transversely extending angle.;

iron members such as indicated at 12. Corner braces such as indicated at 33 may be provided-V for further reinforcing the structure.vv Y Y* j j Swingably mounting the `seat and back rest sections in the main supportingframe, there arev anchored tothe lower vends" of the hangers34 through the agency'of links such as 'indicated 4at 38, 38. Intermediate theirflengths, the bars 31 are provided with transversely extending stop pins 39 and at their inner ends', the bars 31 have inverted keyhole openings designated 40.

The inner end portions of the bars 31, 31 are adapted to be positioned in slots such as indicated at 4I (Fig. 6) in the lower ends of the kfront legs 3l of the seat section, the keyhole openings 4U of the said bars being adapted to engage headedpins designated 42 carried by corner braces 43 extending between the 'front legs 37| and the border frame of the seat section. The pin and slot connections 40, 42 are similary to the pin and slot connections 24, 25 previously described and are engageable and disengageable in the same manner. The stop pins 39 serve to facilitate engagement of the pin and slot connections 40, 42 by properly positioning the bar 31 with respect to the leg 3| and corner brace 43- and the said stop pin also relieves the headedrpin 42 of some of the strain incidentto the supporting of the seat section.

The rear hangers 35,735 are -eachcpnnected to e rear leg 32 by meanscf.. a Similar-arrangement, which is best shown in Figs.` 1 and 2. 4,'Ihese connections each include a bar 44 whichrlts s lidably through an opening 45 in one vofthe depending rear legs32 of the seat; section. The outer end of the bar 44 is connectedthrough, the agency of a link 46 to the lower end ofthe hanger 35 and the innerendV of the bar is detachably connected by another pin and keyhole opening connection with the lower end of aacorner brace member 41 which extends between the upper end of the rear leg 32 and a longitudinally extending tie bar 48 which connectsvthe rear legs 32 at the opposite ends of the seat ata distance below the surface of the seat. YFor purposes which will presently appear, the connectionrbetween thev front endof the bar 44 and the link 46,1naybe. readily disj engageable by leaving the link46open sufficient] lunderstood by inspection of Fig. 1. end of the strut 52 is pivoted to the lowerI end portion, of the leg 49, as indicated at 51.

operative or upright position and also in further unfolded bed position, as illustrated in Fig. 7, through the agency of a leg structure which embodies legs such as indicated at 49 respectively connected to the ends of the back rest section by means of a pivot connection such as indicated at 50. Such legs are connected for rigidity and for simultaneous movement through the agency of a longitudinally extending angle iron bar 5| ,which is offset rearwardly intermediate its ends so as to avoid interference with the yielding bed vspring fabric carried by the back rest frame, as

Awill presently be described. The lower end of each leg 49 is connected by means of a strut 52 to a normally fixed pivot designated 53. The pivot 53 comprises a headed pin carried by the lower end of the link 52, the said pin being adapted to fit in a slot 54 provided in a bracket 55 which is secured to and extends rearwardly from the adjacent rear legs 32 of the seat section. A

' hookelement 56 pivoted at one end to the bracket 55,"is provided for also engaging the headed pin to lock the same in the slot 54, as will be readily The upper It will be seen that when the back rest section 21 is in the position illustrated in Fig. l, the strut 52 and `leg 49 will support the back rest section because the leg rests against the inwardly projecting front flange of the back rest frame and the pivot 51 is in an over-the-center position with respect to the pivots 50 and 53. To eifect unfold- `ing of the back rest section to bed position, it is necessary to swing the back rest section slightly y"forwardly on its pivot connection 30 with the seat section so as to permit the legs 49 and struts 52 tofbe swung rearwardly about their respective pivots 50 and 53. As soon as the over-the-center relationship illustrated in Fig. 1 is overcome and reversed, the weight of the back rest section will of course tend to effect unfolding to bed position illustrated in Fig. '7.

For the purpose of elevating the rearward portion of the seat section and the adjacent portion of 'the back rest section from the lowered seat position illustrated in Fig. 1, to the elevated position illustrated in Fig. '7, which is substantially in a horizontal plane with the normal elevation of the front portion of the seat section, the followarrangernent is provided. A link or strut ele- "ment 58 is pivoted at its upper end as indicated at 59 to the hingedbracket 69 of the back rest section.4 As indicated, the pivot 59 is spaced rearwardly or downwardly from the hinged pivot 30.

The` lower end ofthe strut 58 is pivoted as indicated at 6I to the arm 44. When the back rest A section yis unfolded to bed position, it will be seen that the pivot 59 approaches a position of alignment with the pivots 39 and 6I. In so do- Y ing, the distance between the pivots 35i and 6| is of course necessarily increased to accommodate .thecombined distances between the pivots 6| n and 59 and between the pivots 59 and 30.

Thus the rearward portion of the seat section 25 and adjacent portion of the back rest section is ele- Y vated to bed position illustrated in Fig. 7.

cVlhen the back rest and seat sections are in bed position illustrated in Fig. '7, the inner side .portions thereof adjacent the pivot connection 30 therebetween, are supported in their horil'zontal bedposition at a greater height relative y'to the lower end of the hanger 35 than when the partsare in glider position, by means of the strut 58, the bar 44 being swung downwardly at its outer end on its pivot connection with the brace 41. The brace 4l and the strutv 58 cooperate in transmitting the load from theadjacent portions of the seat and back rest sections to the bar 44 from which the load is transmitted to the hanger 35 and to the end frame. The slot 45 in the leg 32, through which slot the bar 44 passes, permits said pivotal movement of the bar while preventing sidewise displacement thereof.

When the seat and back rests are in folded position as shown in Fig. 1, the weight of the rear portion of the seat section is transmitted directly to the bar fili by engagement between the edge of the leg 32 at the upper end of the slot 45 and said bar, the brace Liii then serving to prevent upward rocking of the outer end of the bar 44 about said point of engagement as a fulcrum.

The pivots 55 and 5l are made a very loose t, so that when the glider structure is to be assem bledor disassembled, the .link it may be disengaged fromthe outer end of the arm 44, the inner end of the arm it disengaged from the brace 4l and the arm then drawn outwardly through the slot 45. In so withdrawing the arm 44, the strut 58 is of course causedto swing laterally outwardly about its upper pivot 59, substantially as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 2. By thus withdrawing the arm M from the leg slot 45, it is possible to fold the arm 44 into substantial alignment with the strut 58, and to fold the arm 44 and strut 5S about the pivot 59 to overlapping position on the back of the back rest section when in collapsed condition, as illustrated in Fig. 6. This arrangement is desirable for shipping and storing purposes, and it will be seen that it eliminates an element which projects from the ends of the seat section and which would be objectionable in shipment and storage.

The spring fabric of the seat and back rest sections is shown in this instance as being of wire or link type. It is resiliently supported within the frames ci the respective sections by means of hanger springs t2.

The back rest portion of the spring fabric is connected to the seat portion thereof by means of special links t3 each of which has arms et and extending through the loops te in the adjacent edges of the back rest and seat `section spring fabric portions. The free ends of the arms 54 and t5 are hooked as indicated at 61 to the adjacent loops Gti so as to prevent displacement of the links $3. The arms t4 and 65 of the links are freely slidable through the loops 66 in the edge of the other spring fabric portion.

The described connection between the spring fabrics of the two sections is such that the back rest and seat sections may readily be folded as previously explained, the spring fab-ric portions being readily foldable with the respective sections. The connections between the respective portions of the spring fabric serve to prevent displacement of cushions or bedding between the respective fabric sections and they serve to unite the same into a continuous, in eifect, a single bed spring fabric extending across the entire width of the combined seat and back rest sections when in bed position.

To prevent the .seat and back rest sections from swaying in an endwise direction, there is provided a stabilizing rod or bar designated 68.

This member may be in the form of an angle iron which is turned to the inverted V-shaped position best shown in Fig. l. The Opposite ends of the member 68 are provided with apertures and one end of the member is engaged `with a pin 69 carried by a bracket 'lli which extends upwardly from the tie bar I2. The other end of the stabilizer tit is engaged with a pin ll which extends upwardly from the angle iron cross member l2 which extends between the front .and rear legs 3i and 32 of the seat section. A reinforcing angle iron member 'l2 is provided on both ends of the seat section and a bracket element I3 secured to the member 'l2 is provided with oppositely inclined upper edges 14 and l5 and an intermediate notch 16. The inclined edges "I4 and i5 and the notch 16 are adapted to cooperate with a stop member 'il carried by and projecting inwardly from the upright post I5 on each of the end frames l0 and ll. adjusted to bed position, the inclined edges 14 and 'E5 have the effect of engaging the bottom of the stop member 'l to guide the seat section to predetermined position transversely of the main supporting frame and in that position, the;

notches l receive the lower portion of the stop member il to lock the seat section against further swinging movement.

Changes in the described structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the in-.

vention, the scope of which should be determined by reference to the following claims, the same being construed as broadly as possible consistont with the state of the art.

We claim:

l. In a glider of the class described, the coinbination of hingedly connected seat and back rest sections which are adjustable from angularly related glider position to substantially ccpianar bed position, an arm extending endwisen from said seat section andadapted to engage means for supporting `said seat and back rest sections, said arm being connected to the seat section so as to be fixed transverselyofthe sectionv and verticaliy adjustable relative thereto, and means for effecting upward adjustment of the hinged side of the seat section to bed position as an incident to the adjustment of the back rest section to said bed position, said means com-- prising a strut pivoted at its ends respectively hinged connection between the seat and back rest sections.

2. In a glider of the class described, the comrest sections which are adjustable from angullarly related glider position to substantially coplanar bed position, a main frame for supporting said sections, a hanger depending from said sup-1i` porting frame for swingably supporting said seat and back rest sections, an arm extending between said seat section and hanger for connecting the same, said arm being connected to the seat section so as to be fixed transversely of,

the section but vertically adjustable relative thereto, means for effecting upward adjustment of the hinged side of the seat section to bed position as an vincident to the adjustment of the back rest sectionto said bed position, said means,

back rest sections, and cooperating means car- :[150 to said vertically adjustable arm and to said back rest section in spaced relation to the axis of the 55 bination of hingedly connected seat and back" ried by said seat section and supporting frame for locking the seat sectionV against swinging movement when said section is elevated to said bed position.

3. In a glider of the class described, the combination of hingedly connected seat and back rest sections which are adjustable from angularly related glider position to substantially coplanar bed position, a main frame for supporting said sections, a hanger depending from said supporting frame for swingably supporting said seat and back rest sections, an arm extending between said seat section and hanger for connecting the same, said arm being connected to the seat section so as to be xed transversely of the section but vertically adjustable relative thereto, means for effecting upward adjustment of the hinged side of the seat section to bed position as an incident to the adjustment of the back rest section to said bed position, said means comprising a strut pivoted at its ends respectively to said vertically adjustable arm and to said back rest section in spaced relation to the axis of the hinged connections between the seat and back rest sections, and cooperating means carried by said seat section and supporting frame for locking the seat section against swinging movement when said section` is elevated to said bed position, said cooperating means including a part carried by the main frame and another part carried by said seat section, one of said parts having cam surfaces for acting on the other part to effect transverse movement of the seat section to predetermined position transversely of the main frame preliminarily to said locking action.

4. In a glider of the class described, the combination of hingedly connected seat and back rest sections which are adjustable from an angularly related glider position to a substantially coplanar bed position, means for supporting said seat and back rest portions for swingable movement, means for effecting upward movement of at least the hinged end of sai-d seat section from glider position to bed position as an incident to the lowering of said back rest section to bed position, and means carried by said seat section which is moved into interlocking engagement with cooperating means forming a part of said supporting means by the upward movement of said seat section consequent to the lowering of said back rest section, said interlocking means serving to positively lock said seat and back rest sections from swingable movement when said glider is in bed position.

5. In a glider of the class described, the combination of hingedly connected seat and back rest sections which are adjustable from an angularly related glider position to a substantially co-planar bed position, means for supporting said seat and back rest sections for swingable movement, means for effecting upward movement of at least the hinged end of said seat section from glider position to bed position as an incident to the lowering of the back rest section to bed position, and means carried by said seat Asection which is moved into interlocking engagement with cooperating means forming a part of the support for the glider by the upward movement of said seat section consequent to the lowering of said back rest section, said interlocking means serving to positively lock said glider from swingable movement with respect to the supporting frame therefor when said glider is in bed position and including a plate member having a generally V-shaped notch formed therein and a suitable cooperating member for engaging sai-d notch.

6. In a glider of the class described, a seat section and a back rest section hingedly connected together so as to permit said back rest section to be lowered from an upright glider position to a horizontal bed position, means including a stationary structure for supporting said seat and said back rest sections for swingable movement when those sections are in the glider position,-Y

when said back rest section is lowered to glideny position to raise at least a portion of said seat section, means for supporting said seat section and said back rest section for swingable movement, and means carried by said seat section which is movable into interlocking engagement with co-' operating means forming a part of said supportingl means by the upward movement of said seat section incident to the lowering o said back rest section.

8. In a glider of the class described, a movable structure including a seat section and a back rest section hingedly connected together so as to permit said back rest section to be lowered from an upright glider position to a horizontal bed position, a stationary structure, and meansfor supporting said movable structure upon said stationary structure in such manner that said movable structure is swingably movable relative thereto when said seat and back rest sections are in the glider position, said supporting meansf including a lever pivotally supported at one of its ends upon said movable structure, the other end of said lever being mechanically connected to said stationary structure, and means actuable by they movement of said back rest section when that section is lowered from the glider to the bed position to move said lever about its pivot and thereby vary the relative positions of said movable structure and said stationary structure.

9. In a glider of the class described, a movable structure including a seat section and a back rest section hingedly connected together so as to permit said back rest section to be lowered from an upright glider position to a horizontal bed position, a stationary structure, and means' for supporting said movable structure upon said stationary structure in such manner that said movable structure is swingably movable relative thereto, said means including a lever pivotally supported at one of its ends upon said stationary structure and slidably engaging a slot formed in said stationary structure intermediate its ends, the other end of said lever being mechanically connected to said stationary structure, and means including a toggle linkage actuable by the movement of said back rest section when that section is lowered from the glider to the bed position to move said lever about its pivot point and thereby raise one end of said seat section.

EDWARD E. WOLLER. DON CARLOS TRAVIS. MATTHEW F. BAYER. 

